Improvement in corset-springs



W. 'B. GARGILL.

Corset-Springs. 55 42 Pa tant'ed Sept. 29, 1814.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WIIJLIAM B. CARGILL, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HIM- SELFAND WATERMAN 8t MAYER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSET-SPRINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,421, datedSeptember 29, 1874; application filed May 18, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. CARGILL, of Waterbury, in the county ofNew Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement inCorset-Fastenings, of which the following is a specification:

Corset-fastenings have been made of two steel springs, upon one of whichheaded studs are riveted and upon the other metallic eyes or loops areattached, and these are inserted within pockets or hems upon the frontedges of the half-corsets. In some cases the steel springs have eachbeen made of two-or more layers, held together by metallic clasps. Aninstance of this character may be seen in Let ters Patent No. 99,633,granted Feb. 8, 1870, to me. The back portions of these steel springsare exposed to rust from perspiration, and said rust soils the fabric ofthe corset as well as weakening the steel, and the metallic surfaces incontact sometimes move upon each other as the springs are bent, and inso doing the clasps that hold the springs to each other becomedisplaced; and in case of the springsteel breaking, the end frequentlyinj ures either the clothing or the person.

My improvement is made for obviating the before-named difficulties; andconsists in a backing-strip of wood or similar material, clamped to thesteel spring by metallic clasps or other connections, so that themetallic clasps are held in position by being embedded into the woodmore or less. The strip of wood protects the spring from perspiration.It also renders the fastening much more elastic, and lessens the risk ofbreakage, because the wooden strip prevents the steel being bent with asudden curve, and it acts to distribute any strain over a greater lengthof the spring, and in case of the spring breaking the interposed woodprevents the ends of the spring injuring either the person or theclothing.

In the drawing, Figure l is an elevation of the corset-fastening, withpart of one of the springs removed to show the backingstripof wood; andFig. 2 is a sectional plan at the line a; w.

The steel springs a b are of usual character. They, however, are, bypreference, of thinner metal than generally employed. 0 c are themetallic studs projecting from the spring a, and d d are the metalliceyes or loops upon the spring I). The backing-strip e, of wood orsimilar non-metallic elastic material, is slightly Wider than the steelspring, so as to prevent the back edges of the spring cutting the fabricof the corset, and also to allow the sheet metal of the clip t" to embeditself into the wood by the pressure to which it is subjected as saidclip is bent around and compressed to place.

The wooden backing-strip may be slightly recessed to receive the clipspreviousto their being secured in place.

The backing-strip accomplishes the objects before enumerated, and thefastening constructed in this manner is superior to those in use, andrisk of personal danger from the ends of the steel spring, if the samebreaks, is avoided.

I am aware that a wooden corset bush or spring has been made with two ormore short plates of steel fastened to it at places where the wood isbent to stiifen the same; and also that two steel springs have beenconnected together by clasps notched into the edges of the widestspring. In the first instance there is no continuous metal spring, andin the second case there is no wood to protect the metal fromperspiration nor the person or clothing from injury if the steel springbreaks.

I claim as my in vention The corset-fastening, made of a continuousmetallic spring, with a backing of wood secured to the spring, in themanner and for the purposes set forth.

Signed by me this 15th day of May, 1874.

"Witnesses: WM. B. CARGILL.

Gno. T. PINOKNEY, V CHAS. H. SMITH.

